Best Homemade Caramel Recipe (2024)

Best Homemade Caramel Recipe is perfect for making caramel apples and all your favorite fall treats and desserts. It’s incredibly easy and ready in about 30 min. It truly is THE BEST homemade caramel recipe around.

There are certain things that really sum up the season for me. One of them is caramel. It’s like the season wouldn’t happen unless caramel was involved in some way.

It’s so rich, so decadent. In our stores, it’s very hard to find those adorable little individually wrapped caramel pieces, which is why I have been craving some for so long.

All last season I wanted to make my own caramel. I never got around to doing it. I even have a recipe for microwave caramel– I still didn’t get around to doing it.

Easy Caramel

So this year I had some plans. I dug through Grandma’s old cookbook and found the recipe that I have been using for so many years. I am so excited to share it with you.

Really- it’s the very best recipe for caramel I have ever had. It’s 100% worth the time it takes to make it from scratch. I love that it takes ingredients that I almost always have on hand.

recipe for caramels

Some caramel recipes call for heavy cream, this one does not. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always have that on hand.

recipes caramel

But with this one I don’t need to plan ahead to make it or make a special trip to the store for it. I just need my short side stock pot and my favorite heavy rubber spatula and I’m good to go.

Trust me- you will not be disappointed!

candy caramels

Here are some commonly asked questions

Do I have to use a candy thermometer?

Unfortunately, yes. That is the only way to know you have reached the right temperature for this caramel to set up correctly.

*Note – do not use the clip on the side of the candy thermometer to attach it to the pot. I have found that when it is resting against the side of the pot, it makes that area of the pot heat higher than the rest resulting in not only an inaccurate temperature reading but also burnt food in that area.

homemade caramel candy

How many can this serve?

Well, that will depend on how large or small you cut the pieces. But I was able to get 36- 1″ squares from this batch.

Can homemade caramel be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze homemade caramel Just be sure to freeze either in a single layer or place a piece of parchment in between the layers before freezing. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then leave at room temperature once thawed.

best caramel recipe

Can this recipe be doubled?

Because the cooking time would change with the volume of the ingredients, I don’t recommend doubling this recipe. Since it is so quick to make, I usually just do several batches back to back.

Why is my homemade caramel grainy?

This happens when the sugar crystallizes. This can happen when the melted sugar splashes up onto the cooler sides of the pot. By doing this the moisture evaporates and it turns back into a sugar crystal.

caramels

HOW DO YOU MAKE Soft Caramel Candy?

1. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and then spray it with cooking spray or an oil mister. Set aside.
2. In a 2-qt heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, butter, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Cook & stir until the candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball stage). This should take about 25-30 minutes depending on the BTU’s of your stove. Don’t turn the heat higher to rush the process.
4. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Move quickly as it will firm up fast.
6. Let cool completely before pulling out of the pan by any overhanging foil. Cut into squares and wrap individually with parchment paper.

making caramel

What is the best way to store leftover caramel?

Most importantly, this recipe is best when stored at room temperature, unless you happen to keep your house quite warm.

Also, the caramel squares will want to melt into each other if they are stacked in an airtight container after they are cut.

I typically just cover the pan I poured them into and leave it on the counter OR I wrap each caramel square in a little square piece of parchment and keep them in a candy dish.

If you would like to consolidate them into a single airtight container, I recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between the layers as you stack them.

caramels recipe

Don’t Miss These Other Fall Recipes

• Easy Pecan Pie
• Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
• No-Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake

• Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
• Hummingbird Cake
• Easiest Snowball Cookies

• Rolo Pretzel Turtles
• Fruit co*cktail Cake
• Best German Chocolate Cake

• Best Ever Cowboy Cookies
• Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes
• Divinity Candy

• Rum Cake
• Candied Pecans

homemade caramels with sweetened condensed milk

To make Homemade Caramel Candy you will need…

• brown sugar
• sweetened condensed milk
• butter
• light corn syrup
• vanilla extract

soft caramel recipe

Should I use light or dark brown sugar?

Since I make my own brown sugar, I use light brown sugar for almost all of my recipes. But light or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.

Want to know how to make your own brown sugar –visit my Homemade Brown Sugar post here.

Tips, Tricks, Variations, and Suggestions

• I prefer to use parchment over wax paper when setting the hot caramel.
• You can use a wooden spoon to make these creamy caramels, but I prefer a stiff silicone spatula for mixing. Makes cleanup so much easier.
• Make sure to use a sharp knife when cutting these into squares.
• The easiest way to avoid sugar crystals sticking to the side of the pot, brush a little water around the rim of the pot and the sides of the pan with a pastry brush.
• I like to use a medium saucepan over medium-low heat since I am working on a high-output range. But you might need to use medium-high heat for your stove.
• Try sprinkling the tops of the caramel with sea salt for a pretty presentation and a delicious twist.
• Be sure to use a sturdy pan to withstand the heat of the caramel for both mixing and setting.
• Cooking to soft-ball stage is quite hot. Be sure to use oven mitts or pot holders when boiling sugar to make this delicious homemade caramel.
• These buttery homemade caramels make a great gift for neighbors and friends.

caramels recipe

Products I love when making homemade caramel candy…

This homemade caramel candy recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand

OR maybe you have never made caramel before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this homemade caramel candy recipe.

• heavy rubber spatula
• 9×13 cake pan
• short side stock pot
• candy thermometer
• foil

If you love this Easy Homemade Caramel recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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Easy Chocolate Caramel Candy

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easy caramel recipe

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

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Rate this Recipe

Best Homemade Caramel RECIPE

Course Dessert

Servings: 36 squares

Best Homemade Caramel RECIPE is perfect for making caramel apples & all your favorite fall treats & desserts. It's incredibly easy & ready in about 30 min. It truly is THE BEST homemade caramel recipe around.

Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Cool time 3 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown sugar packed
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Line a 13×9 pan with foil and then spray it with cooking spray or an oil mister. Set aside.

• In a 2qt heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, butter, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

• Cook & stir until the candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball stage). This should take about 25-30 minutes depending on the BTU's of your stove. Don't turn the heat higher to rush the process.

• Remove from heat and carefully stir in the vanilla extract.

• Carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Move quickly as it will firm up fast.

• Let cool completely before pulling out of the pan by any overhanging foil. Cut into squares and wrap individually with parchment paper.

  See Also

  Toffee Walnuts - An Easy Candied Nuts Recipe!

Notes

*Note – do not use the clip on the side of the candy thermometer to attach it to the pot. I have found that when it is resting against the side of the pot, it makes that area of the pot heat higher than the rest resulting in not only an inaccurate temperature reading but also burnt food in that area. I get the best results when holding in the center of the pot for about 30 seconds – just enough to get a reading.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 59mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 0.1mg | Net Carbohydrates: 18g

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Taste of the Frontier cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

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